Bittersweet
by MercerJack4
Summary: An old friend returns home to visit Evelyn in the cemetery..but realizes she's lost more than one friend since she left Detroit. Now it's back to the Mercers to find out what happened to Jack.
1. Friends, Death, & Other Things You

**Bittersweet**

Chapter One

"Friends, Death, and Other Things You Missed Out On"

It was cool out this morning. Not cold, but sort of a liberating, wonderful cool air that makes you want to fill yo lungs with i quickly before it becomes contaminated by cigarrette smoke and city pollution. It was near perfect weather, though a gloomy place for such a mood. A cemetery in lovely Detroit, Michigan. Not home, at least not anymore, but familiar enough.

Anyway, there I stood just staring at a tombstone of a friend. The headstone read:

Evelyn Mercer

1943-2005

Forever a Mother

To Us All

Tears formed in my eyes, remembering her, the time I spent with her, realizing I will never have another moment with dear Evelyn, only the unforgettable ones we shared; so many, still too few.

I don't think she ever forgot one child. She remembered and loved us all, I believe. I'm lucky, I know, because I got to spend more time with Evelyn than most do. She gave me my parents. They were practically neighbors. So, naturally, I liked to spend time there. Partly because of Evelyn, and also because, well, her sons. Oh, come on. Teenage girls would have to agree with me. Growing up around four very badass teenage guys is always fun. But something from the corner of my eye caught my attention. I almost didn't realize what was inscribed on the headstone not too far from hers.

At that moment, as I tried to process what I had just seen, it felt like my very breath had been stolen. I fingered the inscriptin in disbelief. "J-Jack..." I choked out as tears streamed down my face. I pulled my long jacket closer around me, now feeling the cold. I felt empty now, confused, hurt, and felt my jacket didn't provide the warmth, the comfort of the human contact I was desiring now. I had to get answers. I had to go back to my old neighborhood. I had to go see the boys.

"Bobby! Angel! Angel! Open the freakin' door, Bobby, we need to talk!" This was after seven minutes of patient knocking, and now I was banging the holy living crap out of the door, desperate for an answer. Their car was in the driveway. I don't know why I kept knocking. So I stopped, and sat on the steps, my head in my hand, running my fingers through my hair. Soon enough, however, a volvo pulled up, and three familiar faces piled out. They stopped when they saw me. I stood, looked them in the eye, and asked, weakly, "What the hell happened?"


	2. Truth

**Bittersweet**

Chapter Two

"Truth"

"Aubrey."

"Jeremiah." I acknowledged, nodding. "I went to the cemetery."

"Oh, God, Aubrey, you didn't know..." Bobby sighed.

"No. What happened? Wh--How? I--" I couldn't even finish my sentence. I looked down, sighing, thinking.

"C'mon," Angel said, "Let's talk inside."

Shot. Right outside. Hardly fifteen feet from where I sat on the steps. Jack. Maybe I should elaborate on my history with the Mercers, mainly Jack. We used to date. But he moved away, and so did I, and we just lost whatever we had. We moved on. I don't think I ever stopped loving him, though; deep inside he always had my heart and we both knew it. We shared the best parts of our lives together, growing up, whether at that point we were lovers or just friends. Inevitably my best friend regardless of our relationship at the time, and regardless of distance or lack of contact. Now he was gone. Just like that. And I didn't know. This whole time I had gone on, thinking I should call him sometime, just to chat. But I didn't. If only I had been a good friend, and called, I would have found out. I knew he was still in Detroit. I knew Jack. I knew he would stick around with the family for a while at least. So I would have known to call here.

Not like it would make a difference. He'd still be dead, Aub. Dead. Dead, and never coming back. There can never be any new moments, and the ones I held in my memory seemed too few, too blurry, and left me longing for more. There would never be anymore late night phone calls, just because we knew we could call at any time, and the other wouldn't mind, they would just be happy to talk to you again. No more laughs, tears, no more holding the other for comfort. Never would there be another night, whether nights of intimacy, or cuddled up, sleeping. Everything came back in a sudden rush of bittersweetness, and I felt overcome by sorrow. I breathed deeply, silent tears resilient to stop pouring out. "Aubrey?" Bobby asked, snapping me back to reality.

"I miss him...But...I'm thankful he died so...nobly, so strong. He was, ya know...strong."

"We know."

"I can't believe he's gone. I mean, I just...thought..well, I never thought about..ya know, death. But...I don't even know."

"So..." Angel spoke up. "How long will you be in town?"

"Uh, there's a flight going home tomorrow."

"And where is home?"

"A little place outside of New York called..uh..suburban..New York.."

"So soon." Jerry commented.

"Well, I gotta get back there. My job, and...well, anyway..."

"What? You got a boyfriend back home? Cuz if it's about that whole you-and-Jack thing, it don't matter, you can say so.."

"No, no it's..it's nothing..just..my job..friends..family..."

"Oh, alright. Where you stayin'?"

"Well, as I recall, Jeremiah, Detroit wasn't exactly the biggest tourist attraction. Finding a hotel should be real easy."

"Well, you can stay here if you want." Bobby said, almost eager to have me there.

"See? Real easy."

"Haha. Well, I gotta head home to the wife and kids. See you later, guys. Real good to see you again, Aubrey."

"You too, Jer. Send my love to the family."

"Oh, I will. G'bye."

"So..Angel, whatever happened to Sofi?"

Bobby did this snort-scoff thing, and I just had to smirk at that. "Oh, we're engaged now."

"Oh my God. Congratulations."

"Yeah, so it took you, what, six years of on-and-off,-and-on,-and-off,-etc. dating to finally commit to each other. So Aubrey you should be getting your invitation in the mail in about, oh," Bobby looked at his hypothetical non-existent watch, "approximately seven years, five months, and thirteen, no, fourteen days."

"Nah. He'll be shot by that time. Probably _by_ the bride, too."

"Haha, I don't doubt that. She's got quite the temper on her."

"You're one to talk, Bobby. So, Angel, she comin' around anytime soon?"

"Probably. Now, who's makin' dinner? I'm thinkin': take-out." Angel suggested.

"Now, the question is," I said, "Pizza, or chinese? Or burgers?"

"Pizza." We all decided, simultaneously.

"Mmm...I forgot why I left this town...the pizza is good enough reason to stick around."

"But chances are you'd get shot." Angel, if you were wondering.

"Yes, but the cheesy pizza-y goodness would put me at peace. Now, only if it had magical healing abilities, then I wouldn't have to worry about getting shot. Just rub some pizza sauce in my wound, maybe a bandage made of pizza crust..Yum.."

"You're insane."

"But that's why you love me. Or, you guys love me in spite of it..I don't know..whatever.." After a few hours of catching up with the boys, I was feeling the jetlag. I decided to stay in Evelyn's room, since it was closer to the top if the stairs, and I was tired. But after maybe an hour of bobbing in and out of consciousness, I felt like I was in the wrong room. I went into Jack's room, looking around, remembering, and falling asleep in his bed. Now this felt like home. It felt right, being here. Being in a room where so many things happened. This was my best friend's room. It still is, and no one else's. God, I miss him. I imagine if he was still alive, he'd drive past the cemetery, see me, and we would go out for lunch, catch up, talk about family and relationships and friends and jobs. He'd have found a nice girl, and I'd meet her. She'd be real nice, and good, even though I'd want to hate her (for no apparent reason since Jack and I were past that; but still, unfortunately, I'm that type of person). I do love Jack. Just as a friend. He _was_ my first love, and I suppose it is true that they never really leave you. Just that the whole thing was complicated. Sometimes we'd be together, sometimes just friends, sometimes friends with 'benefits', as they say. His room held his scent. Warm, familiar. I should've come back sooner. But I figured it was not the time for blaming myself for the past things I couldn't change even if I had the chance.


	3. Memory of a Real Funky Bunch

**Bittersweet**

Chapter Three

"Memory of a Real Funky Bunch"

The next day I spent visiting Jerry's family, hanging with Sofi, and catching up with old friends from our neighborhood. I even got in on a hockey game. I kicked ass, considering Angel and Jack were the one who originally taught me to skate and play hockey, while Jerry, Camille, and Bobby sat on the sidelines and watched, and laughed. I remember falling, only once, and that I had managed to take my two mentors down with me.

I remember having sleepovers at my house, with the girls, and having most if not all of them either ambushed by the Mercer boys and their friends, or involved my friends and I going to them. One of my favorite memories was going to the movie theater with a bunch of friends, and running into the boys and their friends there. We went in, and took up like an entire row full of people, but we all spaced out across the theater anyway. No one else was there, or they left because of us. It was like a party. People were throwing popcorn and shouting to others rows away. Of what I actually saw, it wasn't a bad movie. Couldn't tell you a thing about it, though. Nothing else keeps your attention when you're with like fourteen friends. It was awesome. I don't think I have a better memory than that one. That was a priceless one I wouldn't trade for anything.

I know Evelyn house was always playing music. I remember dancing with the guys in the living room to "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", probably one of my favorite songs ever. I don't know how I ended up dancing and lip-syncing, furthermore getting the guys to do the same, but it happened. I remember them lined up in a row, pretending to sing, maybe actually singing at times (though they weren't exactly record-deal material), just like The Temptations, with the exception of there being only four of them. Evelyn would look on, and just smile, shake her head, and chuckle.

I was in the house, and someone knocked on the door. Bobby answered it, to see a woman and a small boy standing there. "Can I help you?"

"Bobby Mercer?" The woman asked.

Bobby looked at the little boy for a second. "Why? Is he...Bobby Mercer's?"

"Oh, haha no. I'm looking for--"

"Aubrey!" the little boy shouted, and ran to me.

"Hey, kiddo!" I said, picking him up.

Bobby was very flustered by all this. His eyes, full of confusion, ricocheted back between me and my friend on the doorstep many times before Bobby made a speech attempt. "Can someone please fill me in on all this!" Angelcame downstairs, curious about the commotion from the hall.

"Boys, this is Jack, my nephew. Kind of."


End file.
